


Stay With Me

by jokerssmile



Category: Rizzoli & Isles
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-08
Updated: 2013-07-08
Packaged: 2017-12-18 03:53:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/875321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jokerssmile/pseuds/jokerssmile
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maura's life has been threatened because of the revelation that she is the daughter of Paddy Doyle. So now it's Jane's job to find out who's been killing Doyle's men, cutting out there hearts while she protects Maura. I rated this T because of described violence.</p><p>This is another song inspired fic. The song is Kiss Me Slowly by The Script. If you haven't heard it, listen to it and I'm sure you'll like it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Jane woke slowly, she felt the warmth of an arm slung a crossed her naked stomach. She turned her head slowly to see a head of blonde hair resting on her shoulder and she smiled.

The two women had always flirted with each other. It was just something to do. Jane denied being attracted to Maura even though she was and Maura, who couldn't really lie would always change the subject when questioned about it. Other people could see it, Korsak, Frost, even Jane's mother, they could see this was more than just friendship and they wondered why the two women couldn't just admit it. But something changed and with a few simple words everything about them changed.

"You're not going to be safe!" Jane argued with Maura in her office down in the morgue.

"Jane, a police patrol will be by my home routinely through the night. That should be quite fine." Maura told.

"I'm sorry, are you insane?" Jane asked and she saw the little tilt of Maura's head as if she was actually contemplating the answer and that just frustrated Jane even more.

"People know who your biological father is now, bad people, Maura." Jane said, "People who kill rival mobsters families." She hoped her tone would get through to Maura.

"I'm sure I'll be fine. I have faith in the BPD." Maura said nonchalantly as she looked through some paperwork.

It pissed Jane off that Maura wasn't taking this seriously.

Jane's phone buzzed, "What?" She answered.

"Oh, I'm sorry sir." She apologized when she realized it was Cavanaugh calling. Jane spoke to him briefly then hung up.

"This conversation isn't over with." Jane said point a long finger at Maura and she just smiled at Jane as she left.

Jane went up to Cavanaugh's office and knocked on the door. "Come in." He shouted and she let herself in.

"We got a situation here Rizzoli." He said as Jane sat down.

"What it is?" Jane asked.

"A routine patrol went by Dr. Isles home this afternoon and spotted a suspicious brown box on her door step. They checked and saw the package wasn't addressed. The cop on duty called in a member of the Bomb Unit and they opened the package." He paused, "There was a heart inside."

Jane's eyes widened, "A heart? Like a human one?"

"Yes, a human heart. Who's heart we don't quite know yet but we had to send it to another lab so it wasn't tested here." Cavanaugh told her.

"There was a note inside." He said.

"What did it say?" Jane asked.

"Those connected to Paddy Doyle will pay the price." He told her.

"We have to tell Maura, she thinks it's not a big deal. She thinks no one will care that she is the daughter of one of the most ruthless mobsters in Boston." Jane said getting to her feet.

"Someone needs to stay with her or she needs to be moved to a different location." Cavanaugh told her.

"I'll do it. I can stay with her." Jane said.

"Ok you go make arrangements and I'll have a talk with Dr. Isles." Cavanaugh told her as he picked up his phone and dialed the morgue.

Jane had been sitting at her desk biting her thumb nail ever since Maura walked into the Lieutenant's office.

When Maura finally emerged Jane was on her feet and by her friend's side.

"He told me I should go home." Maura said in somewhat of a daze.

"Let's go." Jane said as she escorted to the elevators.

They rode in silence back to Maura's house. Jane went inside first and did a quick sweep of the house before giving Maura the okay to come in.

"Why would someone target me? I have nothing to do with Paddy Doyle or his business." Maura said as she kicked off her heels and slumped onto the couch.

"You're his daughter that makes you a target plus if they hurt you then it hurts him. Just like Colin." Jane said as she went into the kitchen and poured Maura a glass of white wine.

"Thank you." Maura said taking the glass from Jane. She sipped it then put the glass on the coffee table.

Angela came in the side door from the guest house. "Oh Janie, I didn't know you'd be here." She said coming into the living room. Jane looked at her and Angela knew something was wrong. "What is it?"

Jane explained what was going on, she told Angela about the threat and told her that it was probably best if she stayed with Frankie just for the time being. Thankfully her mother didn't put up much of a fight.

Frankie came and picked Angela up and Jane explained the situation to him. "You keep her safe." Jane said to him. "Yeah you too." He said with a nod to Maura.

Maura went upstairs to take a shower. Jane opened Maura's fridge and found a lasagna Angela planned to cook for dinner tonight wrapped up and ready to go. Jane preheated the oven; she was just about to click on the TV when her phone buzzed.

"Rizzoli." She answered.

"The lab has identified the heart as belonging to one of Doyle's men, a guy by the name of Cord Sullivan. He's pretty low on the totem pole but he was still one of Doyle's people." Cavanaugh told Jane.

"Well if he was a nobody then why bother leaving it on Maura's doorstep?" Jane asked.

"We don't know. Korsak thinks that it will somehow send a message to Doyle that not only do they know who Maura is to him but that they can reach her anytime." Cavanaugh suggested.

"Frost and Korsak are going over to the lab to see what else they can find out; maybe they can narrow down who the killer is." He told her. "They will call you when and if they find something out."

"Ok, thank you sir." She said and they hung up.

Jane put the lasagna in the oven then went upstairs to check on Maura. She knocked gently on the bathroom door. "Maura, are you ok in there?" She asked leaning against the door to hear a response.

"I'm fine Jane." Maura said quietly from inside. Moments later she opened the door, she was dressed in a robe and her wet hair fell all around her shoulders.

Jane gave a smile. "Cavanaugh called to tell me they identified the heart. It belonged to one of Doyle's men."

"Oh." Maura said quietly. She sat on the edge of her bed and rubbed her eyes.

"Frost and Korsak are working on figuring out what happened, and who possibly killed him and why." Jane told her standing awkwardly by Maura's bed.

"We know the why, Jane." Maura said looking up and Jane. "It's because of Doyle."

"We'll figure this out, ok." Jane said putting a hand on Maura's shoulder.

Maura looked at her again, "I know you will."


	2. Chapter 2

After dinner, Jane started to wash the dishes. "You don't know have to do that." Maura said putting her half-empty wine glass on the counter to help Jane.

"It's fine, I don't mind washing dishes." Jane said shooing Maura away, "Just don't tell Ma." She smiled.

Maura gave her a small smile and sat down.

"This won't go on forever you know." Jane said drying her hands on a dishrag and leaning against the counter.

"I know that." Maura said taking a sip of her wine.

"Let's go watch some TV." Jane said and ushered her friend out to sit on the living room couch.

"Please Jane no baseball." Maura pleaded as she sat back on the couch.

"It's not baseball season." Jane said flipping through the million channels Maura got. "It's football season." She laughed flipping the game on.

An hour later they had both fallen asleep on the couch, Jane's arm somehow managed to wrap itself around Maura's shoulders and Maura's rested her head on Jane's shoulder.

A small snort-snore from Maura woke Jane up. She smiled down at her sleeping friend.

"Hey, Maura." Jane whispered so she didn't startle her.

"Mm Jane." Maura murmured. Jane's eyebrows shot up 'Oh really now?' she thought.

"Maura, wake up." Jane said quietly shrugging her shoulder a bit.

Maura opened her eyes, "Oh, I'm sorry." Maura said lifting her head off Jane's shoulder. She looked into Jane's eyes and for a moment both women just stared at each other.

"You drooled on me." Jane said breaking the hold Maura's eyes had on her.

"I do not drool." Maura said as she sat up more and slyly wiped her chin.

What were you dreaming about?" Jane asked.

"Who said I was dreaming?" Maura asked standing up avoiding the question.

"You talk in your sleep." Jane said and Maura blushed. 'You'd blush too if you knew what I dreamt about.' Maura thought as she looked around for nothing in particular just trying to avoid eye contact with Jane again.

Jane shrugged and stood up stretching her arms way above her head, feeling the bones in her spine decompress, her blouse rising up just enough to show her belly button.

"I'm going to go check the outside." Jane said grabbing her holstered gun from the coffee table and clipping it to her belt. "Stay put." She told Maura as she went out the front door.

Twenty minutes later Jane came back inside. "Everything is secure." She told Maura as she locked the front door.

"I'll go make up the guest room upstairs." Maura said as she began to climb the stairs.

"No, that's ok; I'll just sleep on the couch tonight." Jane told her. Maura just nodded and went upstairs.

Jane's phone buzzed, "Rizzoli." She answered.

"Hey Jane, got some information for you." Korsak said over the phone. She could hear him flipping through his notepad.

"We found the rest of Cord Sullivan." He told her.

"Where was he?" Jane asked.

"We found him in an abandoned warehouse. He was strapped to a chair, he'd been beaten. Jane from the looks of it, with all the blood he lost, he had to still be alive when his heart was cut out." Korsak told her.

"Jesus." She muttered.

"The M.E has a guess as to what the murder weapon could have been." Korsak said.

"A guess?" Jane asked thinking Maura would never just guess on something as important as a murder weapon. "What was it?" Jane asked.

"The murder weapon was a standard military issued knife." Korsak told her.

"So our murderer was in the military?" Jane asked thinking out loud.

"Or they could have bought it at an army surplus store or ordered it online." Korsak said.

"You're not helping." She told him as she thought. "Have Frost run checks on all the mobbies we have on file, see if any of them have served in the military in the last 10 years." Jane told him.

"You got it." He said. "The autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow morning." He told her.

"Ok, thanks Korsak." She said and they hung up.

Maura came back downstairs in her pajamas. She was carrying a blanket and pillow for Jane. "Thanks." Jane said taking them and placing them on the end of the couch. She filled Maura in on the conversation she just had with Korsak.

"I need to see the body, I should be the one doing the autopsy." Maura said fidgeting her with her hands.

"It's Cavanaugh; he thought it would be best to keep you out of it." Jane told her.

"Out of it? I'm stuck in the middle of this." Maura said getting frustrated. "I have to do something." She said.

"Look the autopsy isn't scheduled till tomorrow morning. If you feel the need to do something then call Cavanaugh." Jane said handing Maura the phone.

Maura dialed Cavanaugh's office phone and after a short argument Maura hung up. "I'll be doing the autopsy tomorrow. Even though Cavanaugh doesn't think it's a good idea." She told Jane.

"It probably isn't." Jane said and Maura shot her a look, Jane put her hands up in surrender, "But I'm not going to argue with you." Jane said.

Maura sat at one of the kitchen counter chairs and slumped down. Jane went over to her, brushed the hair back from her shoulder and put a reassuring hand there. "Hey." She said and waited for Maura looked up at her.

Maura looked up at Jane and for a split second got lost in her eyes, Jane blinked, "Listen, it's going to be okay. Don't worry." She told her.

Maura patted Jane's hand, "I know you and the team will do all you can to find out what's going on." Maura said then stood up inches from Jane. "I should go to bed." She said as Jane moved out of her way. "I have an autopsy to perform tomorrow."

Jane watched Maura go upstairs then she fixed her makeshift bed on the couch and settled in. She watched TV till around 1am before she got up and rechecked the house. She went upstairs and opened Maura's bedroom door to check on her, she was sleeping soundly so Jane quietly shut the door and went about checking the rest of the house before going back downstairs to her couch.

Jane was startled awake by her phone ringing. "Hello?" She said groggily as she snatched her phone from the coffee table and answered it.

"Jane, we have another body." Frost said over the phone.

Jane sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "Where?" Jane asked.

"Another abandoned warehouse about 4 miles from where we found Cord Sullivan." Frost informed her.

Jane could hear Maura upstairs moving around, dispatch must have called her.

Jane looked at her watch, it was 3am. "We're on my way." Jane said then hung up.


	3. Chapter 3

Neither Jane nor Maura said a word as Jane drove them to the crime scene.

When they got there both women went to work. Maura went to gather her team and looked over the body and Jane talked to Detective Frost.

"You sure it's smart to have Dr. Isles here?" Frost asked in hushed tones.

"No but she insists she has to do something." Jane said glancing over at Maura who was having her team remove the man from the chair he was tied to. "Besides, she's the best at what she does; we have a good chance of solving this quickly with her working this case."

"A security guard found this one." Korsak said coming over to Frost and Jane. "He patrols this area every other night and he noticed the door left ajar, so he went in and discovered the body." Korsak told them.

Jane went over to where the body was, "Could it have been the same murder weapon?" Jane asked Maura.

"I won't know that till I examine the first body and compare the wounds." Maura said.

Maura was back at the morgue working on the first autopsy. Every now and then people would come through, Frost, Korsak even Angela, making sure she was safe and okay. It frustrated the hell out of her and she was just about sick of it.

She managed to finish both autopsies though.

Maura went into her office and shut the door, she was writing notes on the autopsies when someone knocked. "Go away." She yelled to the closed door. She went back to writing.

Another knock. With a frustrated sigh she said, "Come In."

Jane came waltzing in and plot down in a chair across from her. "I'm sorry Jane." Maura apologized.

"I think Cavanaugh is sending people down here to check on me and make sure I'm still here and alive. It's making it very difficult to work." Maura explained.

"It's okay." Jane said and Maura looked closely at her friend, the ruffled hair, the tiredness on her face.

"Didn't your parents teach you that staring is rude?" Jane asked. Maura smiled and apologized again.

Maura shared her findings, explained that both of the men were indeed killed in the same manner, both men were beaten, and then their hearts were cut out of their bodies while they were still alive. The same weapon was used on both men.

Jane was back upstairs working at her desk. "Jane, I pulled those files you wanted about the mobsters who served in the military. There were only 3 of them." Frost said handing Jane the files to look through.

"Don't bother." He told her, "2 of them are dead and the other is in a federal prison and has been for 5 years now." He said sitting down in his chair across from Jane.

Jane dropped the files on her desk. She rubbed her eyes, covered them with her hands and sat for a minute just trying to think.

"Rizzoli." Cavanaugh called to her from his office door. She looked up at him. He waved her over then went to go sit behind his desk.

Jane went into his office. "Shut the door." He said to her and she did.

She sat down and waited.

"I put in a call to Cedar Junction this morning." Cavanaugh said. Jane knew that's where Paddy Doyle was being held.

"Why?" Jane asked.

"Doyle may have information we can use to catch this guy before he kills again. The whole reason he's doing it is because of some weird connection to Doyle so maybe he will know why." Cavanaugh said.

Jane didn't like this strategy, "First of all you really think Paddy Doyle is going to be truthful about anything? And secondly, he's ruined a lot of people's lives in the last 40 years; you think he's going to remember one specific person?" Jane asked.

"I don't expect Doyle to remember everything, but with specific details he may." Cavanaugh told her, "And I'll bet he'll be truthful when he knows his daughter's life has been threatened."

"If you think this is our best shot." Jane said standing up.

Cavanaugh nodded to her, "I do. The prison is still working out some details; I'll let you know when things get sorted." He said and Jane left his office.

Later Jane went back down to the morgue. "Did Cavanaugh send you down here to check on me?" Maura asked annoyed as she came out of her office.

"No, Cavanaugh didn't send me down here." Jane told her. She wasn't actually sure why she wandered down to the morgue she had work to do upstairs, files to search through her team to coordinate with but instead she was down in the cold morgue watching her friend idly work.

"I just need a quiet place to think." Jane half-lied. She did need a quiet place to think but she also wanted to keep an eye on Maura. "Well I have a body on my table so you can go in my office if you like." Maura told her as she put on her rubber gloves.

Jane went inside and sat down on the couch and looked around at all of Maura's art on the wall. Her phone rang and she picked up, "Jane, Cavanaugh says it's a go for Cedar Junction tomorrow." Korsak said.

"Ok, that's good. Are you going to be ready early tomorrow morning?" She asked getting up from the couch. When he didn't respond right away Jane knew something was up.

"What?" Jane asked.

"Cavanaugh thinks it might be a good idea if Maura goes with you to talk to Doyle." He said.

"No way, absolutely not." Jane said practically forbidding it.

"He thinks she might be able to get the information out of him." Korsak told her.

"I'll go see him. Just me." Jane said, "And trust me, I'll get the information out of him." She said then hung up.

"You'll go see who?" Maura said standing in the doorway of her office. Jane was startled and turned around, "No one." She said.

Maura gave her a look, the one that said, 'Don't try to protect me by lying.'

Jane sighed, "Doyle."

"Why are you going to see Paddy Doyle?" Maura asked.

"Cavanaugh thinks we can get some kind of leads off of him." Jane told her.

"Oh, well that seems reasonable." Maura said going to her desk to sit down.

Maura looked over at Jane, "What's wrong?"

"What makes you think something is wrong?" Jane asked avoiding the question.

"You have the oddest facial expression right now and which tells me, either you are thinking too hard or there's something more you aren't telling me and you're trying to hide it." Maura told her.

Jane got up and started to pace back and forth in Maura's office. "Ok look, I'm going to tell you but I'm also going to tell Cavanaugh it's not going to happen." Jane told her.

With a sigh, Jane said, "Cavanaugh wants you to go to Cedar Junction with me to talk to Doyle. He thinks that maybe seeing you will make Doyle feel more compelled to talk about his business and give us a hand."

Maura's brows furrowed as she thought. "Ok." She said with a shrug of her shoulders.

Jane's jaw dropped, "No not just 'Ok'." Jane said mimicking Maura's shoulder shrug. "This isn't some scientific field trip, this is prison Maura." Jane told her.

"Jane, I'm well aware what it is. I've been to prisons before if you recall." Maura pointed out.

Jane recalled it all too well, the last time they were at a prison Jane had killed Hoyt before he could kill Maura and herself.

"It's not safe, dammit!" Jane yelled.

Maura got up and went around to the other side of her desk; she stood in front of Jane. She took both of Jane's hands into hers. "It's going to be fine, nothing's going to happen." Maura told her.

Jane looked into Maura's eyes, and then down at their hands, "How can you be so sure?" Jane asked.

Maura brushed a thumb across the back of Jane's hand, "Because you'll be there."


	4. Chapter 4

Jane drove Maura home and before they went inside Jane went through the house to make sure everything was secure before bringing Maura in.

Maura went to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of white wine for herself and a bottle of Sam Adams for Jane.

"Thanks." Jane said taking the beer and popping the cap off before taking a long swig of from it.

Maura quietly poured herself a glass of wine then went to sit down on the couch. She kicked off her heels and wiggled her toes.

A knock at the door startled Jane, her left hand rested on her gun. Jane eased towards the door. She looked through the peephole to see Tommy standing outside.

"Jesus Tommy." Jane said opening the door. "What are you doing here?" Jane asked.

"Ma sent over some food." He said to her as he bent down to pick up the brown paper bags by his feet and pushed passed her.

"Hi Maura." Tommy said cheerful to her as he went into the kitchen and put the bags on the counter.

"Hi Tommy." Maura said getting up. "Would you like a beer?" She asked.

"Excuse me?" Jane said slamming the front door then locking it. Both Tommy and Maura looked at her.

"This isn't the time for some freaking social call." Jane said her anger directed at Tommy. "I'm trying to do my job here."

"Jane, he's just bringing food over." Maura said grabbing a beer from the fridge and handing it to Tommy.

"Geez, what's your problem?" Tommy asked taking the bottle.

"The problem is," Jane said grabbing Tommy by the arm and practically dragging him out of the kitchen. "You can't be here." She opened the front door and pushed him out.

"Go home, Tommy." Jane said and took the bottle of beer he was holding before she shut the door in his face.

"Jane that was very rude." Maura chastised her. Jane shrugged and went over to the kitchen to look through the bags.

Jane took out the containers, "Eggplant parmesan, green salad and homemade bread." She said smiling as she opened the Eggplant parmesan container took in a deep breath of it.

Maura handed Jane a serving spoon then grabbed a couple of plates from the cabinets and silverware from a drawer.

Jane's phone rang and grumbled as she answered it. "Hello?"

"Janie, do not eat one bite of that food until you apologize to your brother, do you hear me?" Angela said on the phone. Jane rolled her eyes.

"And don't roll your eyes." Angela said. Jane heard a shuffling noise on the phone before Tommy said hello.

"Ma says you have something to say to me." Tommy said.

"Really, Tommy? You run home and tell on me like we're little kids?" Jane asked.

"I'm waiting." He said.

"I'm sorry." Jane said, "There you happy now?" She mumbled and she knew Tommy was smiling smugly.

Tommy passed the phone back to his mother, "I'll be sending dinner over tomorrow too, try to be nice." Angela told Jane.

"Thanks for dinner, Ma." Jane said humbly and hung up. Jane looked at Maura, "Don't you smile." Jane said.

Jane spooned out the food then they took their plates and sat in the living room to watch TV and eat.

"What's the plan for tomorrow?" Maura asked as she wiped her mouth with a napkin then took a sip of wine.

"Go to Cedar Junction, talk to Doyle, and get the information I need then come home." Jane said putting her empty plate down on the coffee table and picking up her beer.

"That simple huh?" Maura asked picking up hers and Jane's plate and taking them into the kitchen to wash.

Jane wished it would be that simple, she wished Maura didn't have to go with. She wished that with the help of her team she could figure this out without any kind of help from Doyle but there was no other way.

Jane groaned as she got up off the couch and went into the kitchen. "Nothing is easy when it comes to your safety." Jane said taking the sponge from Maura's hand and scooting her out from in front of the sink to finish washing the dishes.

After the dishes were washed and put away Maura went upstairs to take a shower. Jane went to the linen closet upstairs and grabbed her pillow and blanket then went back downstairs to make up her bed.

Jane was watching TV when Maura game downstairs dressed in her pajamas. "I left you some hot water." Maura told her and Jane knew she needed to take a shower but she was just afraid to leave Maura alone while she did it.

But she couldn't lay around in her own stink anymore so she grabbed her duffel bag from by the door and went upstairs and took the quickest shower she possibly could while washing all her vital bits before she got out, toweled off and changed into a pair of dark blue sweat pants and a light gray Property of The BPD shirt.

Jane came downstairs to find Maura asleep on the couch. She looked so peaceful, so beautiful she hated to wake her up. Jane watched her sleep for a minute before she knelt down by the couch, putting a hand softly on Maura's shoulder, "Maura." Jane said and got no response.

She leaned in closer, and brushed a stray strand of hair that fell across Maura's closed eyes away and tucking it behind her ear, "Maura, let's get you to your room."

Maura opened her eyes and stared into Jane's she smiled, "I feel asleep." She said.

"Yeah you did." Jane said as she stood up and Maura sat up on the couch. "Stay here for a minute; let me check the outside then we'll get you to bed." Jane told her and Maura nodded.

Jane went outside, gave a quick look around the house, "It looks like there's a storm coming in." Jane said as she came in the front door and locked it behind her.

Jane followed Maura and checked out the upstairs "Good night Jane." Maura said standing in her bedroom doorway. "Good Night Maura." Jane said as she passed her on the way back down the hall to the stairs.

Jane went downstairs and settled on the couch. She could hear the wind picking up outside and a heavy rain started to fall. Jane stayed up and watched TV for as long as she could before the TV lulled her to sleep.

Jane was sleeping peaceful when a blood curling scream tore her from her dreams. Jane jumped up off the couch, grabbed her gun from the coffee table and bolted up the stairs Maura called out Jane's name again just as Jane burst into Maura's room, gun drawn.

"What is it?" Jane said scanning the room looking for an intruder.

Maura quickly got out of bed and got behind Jane. "I heard something outside." Maura whispered. Maura grabbed onto the hem of Jane's shirt and followed Jane to the window. Jane checked the window, it was locked. She looked out the window and just as she did a gust of window slapped a tree branch against the side of the house making a loud thud.

Maura jumped and shrieked behind Jane. "Relax." Jane said putting her gun down. "It's a tree branch just hitting against the house because of the wind." Jane told her.

Maura let go of Jane's shirt. "I'm sorry." She said and went to sit on the edge of her bed. "I feel so foolish."

Jane looked out the window again then over at Maura who had tears in her eyes. "Hey." Jane said putting her gun down the bureau and going over to Maura.

Jane pulled her up from where she was and hugged her. "It's ok, it was nothing." Jane told her and she could feel Maura shaking. Jane's own heart beat quickly in her chest. Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's waist and held her tight.

Jane drew back; she put her hands on Maura's shoulders, "Listen to me." She said looking into Maura's watery eyes, "I'm not going to let anything happen to you." She told her. Jane brushed a tear from Maura's cheek, "Do you hear me?" Jane asked.

"But…" Maura started to argue.

"No, as long as I'm here, I will not let anything happened to you." Jane assured her.

Maura believed her, the look in Jane's eyes, the fierceness of her words, Maura knew she was safe.

Maura still held onto Jane's waist, neither woman moved away from each other. "Stay with me." Maura said.

"I'm not going anywhere, I'll be right downstairs." Jane told her.

"No." Maura said pulling Jane closer to her, "Stay with me tonight, don't leave me alone."

'What the hell was going on?' the question kept running through Jane's head. Maura leaned closer to Jane and Jane's hand cupped Maura's face, her thumb brushing Maura's cheek.

Jane could not have wanted Maura more than she did right then, she leaned down, her lips brushed Maura, and the scent of her lavender body wash filled the air. Maura held onto Jane tighter as the kiss deepened.

They moved slowly towards the bed neither of them breaking the kiss, they didn't stop to think; they didn't stop to question anything.

Clothes came off swiftly as their hands explored every inch of each other. "Maura." Jane said breathlessly.

"Don't talk." Maura said as she shoved Jane hard onto the bed. Maura climbed on top of Jane, straddling her hips. She leaned down and kissed Jane's neck, her jawline.

Jane pulled Maura down on top of her and their bodies matched each other's rhythms, slow at first, painfully slow then the pace quickened till they were both lying in a heap of sweat and heavy breathing.

Jane pulled Maura closer to her, and wrapped an arm around her.

Maura rested her head on Jane's bare chest and she fell asleep to the sound of Jane's beautiful heart beating just for her.


	5. Chapter 5

Jane didn't want to open her eyes. She knew it was morning and she knew she had to get up, get dressed and go Cedar Junction to pump information from a useless piece of shit like Doyle but she didn't want to open her eyes. She just wanted to lay here, with Maura curled into her side. She wanted to stay here, away from the danger, away from the outside world. Mostly she didn't want to open her eyes and have Maura say this was all a mistake.

Unfortunately a heavy pounding at the front door jarred Maura awake and annoyed Jane. "Damn it." Jane growled as she rolled out of bed. She grabbed her clothes and dragged them on as she walked.

"Jane?" Maura said and Jane looked at her, 'Here's where she says it.' Jane thought bracing for the words. But the loud knock on the door interrupted, "You better get that." Maura said.

Jane ran down the stairs and looked out the peephole to see Korsak, Frost and Frankie standing outside. She swung the door open, "What's going on?" Jane asked as they all came inside.

"Cavanaugh sent me over to watch over Maura." Frost said and Jane looked at him, confused.

"She's going to Cedar Junction with me." Jane told him.

"No, she's not. Cavanaugh changed his mind." Korsak told her. Jane looked from Korsak to Frost then to Frankie.

"Why are you here?" Jane asked her brother. "I just brought breakfast from Ma's." He said walking past her to the kitchen.

"Why'd Cavanaugh changed his mind?" Jane asked as they walked into the living room.

"Yes, I'd like to know that as well." Maura said coming downstairs in her robe.

"Good Morning Dr. Isles." Korsak said to her with a polite smile.

"Good Morning Vince." Maura said.

"Korsak, why'd he change his mind?" Jane asked getting annoyed that Korsak was staring at Maura.

"Doyle got beat up pretty bad last night, he's in the infirmary." Korsak told her, "He's going to be okay but Cavanaugh thinks maybe it'd be best if Dr. Isles didn't go along."

"That's fine by me; I didn't think it was a good idea in the first place." Jane said and Maura glared at her, "Hey, I'm just being honest."

"So are you going to be going with?" Jane asked Korsak and he nodded a yes.

"Let me go change and we'll go." Jane said and went back upstairs.

"Excuse me gentlemen." Maura said then followed Jane upstairs.

"Jane." Maura called after her as she went into the guest bathroom.

'Here it comes' Jane thought as she turned to look at Maura and Maura just smiled at her then came closer. "Be safe." She said then kissed Jane on the lips before leaving the bathroom to go to her room to change.

Jane touched her fingers to her lips, they felt like they were vibrating. She smiled then closed the door to take a quick shower then change.

By the time both women came back downstairs Korsak, Frost and Frankie were eating breakfast.

"Hey." Jane said annoyed, "I thought Ma sent that over for us."

"Well, she did, but you're not going to be here." Frankie said putting a fork full of pancake in his mouth.

Jane grabbed one of Maura's travel mugs from off the top of the fridge and poured hot coffee into it, "Let's go Korsak." Jane said and he got up and followed her out the door.

"I swear to god Korsak, if you don't stop staring at me while I'm driving I'm going to run us off the road." Jane warned.

"Something's different about you." He said. 'Shit, he knows' a panicked thought fluttered into Jane's mind.

"No I don't, shut up." Jane said.

"If you say so." Korsak said with a gruff laugh.

It took about 40 minutes to get to the prison then another 20 minutes to get through all the security checks.

A guard escorted them into the infirmary and over to Paddy Doyle's bedside.

"Well, well well, if it isn't Detective Jane Rizzoli." Doyle grunted at her.

"You look like shit." Jane said to him looking over his beaten body.

"I've been worse, then you know all about that don't you?" He said.

"We're here for information and that's it." Jane told him.

"How's Maura doing?" He asked. Jane clenched her jaw and said nothing.

"A guy is going around beating and killing your men. He's cutting their hearts out." Korsak said steering the conversation back to business.

"I've made a few enemies." He said to Korsak and Jane scoffed.

"Do you have any clue who would want to do this, why they'd use a military knife?" Korsak asked.

Doyle appeared to be thinking but with his face beaten as badly as it was Jane couldn't really tell.

"I've done quite a lot of business over the years. You expect me to remember everything?" Doyle asked shifting in his bed so he could sit up more.

"This guy is using an Army issued knife to cut your men open while they're still alive and rip their hearts out." Jane said, "Has anyone made a threat like that to you?" Jane asked.

"This information is pretty important to you I see." Doyle said smugly. "Why should I help you?" He asked.

"Come on Jane, let's go." Korsak said as he started to walk to the door, "We'll get the information some other way."

Jane got closer to Doyle's bedside, "You told me to take care of Maura, that's what I'm trying to do." Jane said staring him right in the eyes. "I need this information to keep her safe."

Korsak stood at the foot of Doyle's bed waiting for him to speak.

"A few years ago, a man came to me, said his son was involved with my organization." Doyle said, "He told me to leave his son alone, that if I didn't let him go, I'd pay for it."

"What did you tell him?" Jane asked.

"I didn't know who his son was; he must not have been in my inner circle. I told the man that what's my business is my business." Paddy told them.

"Then what happened?" Korsak asked.

"A week later I get work from one of my men that this kid had been left in an abandoned warehouse out on Clapp Street. He was beat pretty bad, and his heart was cut from his chest." Doyle told them.

"And was he the kid the man warned you about?" Jane asked and Doyle shrugged.

"Who knows? I don't follow the news." Doyle said. "We didn't stick around for the police to identify him."

"So you left him there?" Jane asked disgusted then realized who she was talking to.

"I believe an anonymous tip lead them to the body." Doyle said.

Korsak got on the phone to the South Boston PD and asked for files any case they had in the last few years involving hearts being cut out.

"You have to understand, we were having issues with the Italians and the Greeks in the neighboring area. They didn't particularly like it that the Irish were moving in closer. So apparently an example had to be made." Doyle explained.

"Jane, there's 4 cases." Korsak said while he was on hold and Jane looked at Doyle.

"Hazards of the life." He said with a smile.

It took every bit of self-control Jane had in her body not to reach out grab Doyle by his throat and choke the living shit out of him. 'Hazards of the life'? Jane thought.

"Your way of living killed your son and now it's endangering your daughter and all you can do is sit there and shrug your shoulders." Jane yelled at him.

"I wish Maura had never been involved in any of this." Doyle said.

"Yeah, and I wish my aim had been better." Jane said to him in anger.

"Come on Jane." Korsak said grabbing Jane by the arm. "Let's go now."

Once outside of the prison Jane calmed down. "You really wish you would have killed him huh?" Korsak asked on the drive home. Jane didn't answer him; she just stayed focused on the road.

Jane and Korsak got back to the department and went straight up to Cavanaugh's office to report in.

"Another body turned up while you were gone." Cavanaugh said, "Another note too."

"What'd it say?" Jane asked.

"An eye for an eye, a daughter for a son." "Cavanaugh told them and it sent a chill up Jane's spine.

"Dr. Isles is downstairs with your brother. He's playing babysitter." Cavanaugh told Jane then they were excused from his office.

"I'll come get you when the files get here." Korsak said as Jane headed for the elevators.


	6. Chapter 6

Jane rode the elevator down to the morgue. Jane could see Maura performing the autopsy on the body they found this morning. Frankie was standing there talking to her.

Maura looked up and saw Jane and smiled but Jane was too tired to smile back. "Guess that's my cue." Frankie said then said goodbye to Maura as Jane came in through the doors.

"I take it by the expression on your face that things didn't go well." Maura said.

"They went as well as could be expected, we have a lead we're just waiting on some files." Jane said standing by the autopsy table her arms folded across her chest.

"You look tired." Maura said and Jane smiled at her.

"Another one of Paddy Doyle's men I presume?" Jane said nodding to the body on the table.

"I don't have an ID on him yet. The labs are still running and Detective Frost is running his finger prints." Maura told her.

No more than 20 minutes later, Frankie came back down to the morgue, "Jane, Korsak has the files you've been waiting on."

"Honestly Frankie, you don't have to stay down here with me." Maura said.

"Yes you do." Jane said to him then she looked at Maura, "Yes he does." Before she walked out the doors and went back upstairs.

"The first victim was a young man named Derek Murphy." Korsak said handing the file over to Jane.

"He could be the son of the guy Doyle mentioned." Jane said looking over the file. "No living relatives for us to question and no father's name listed." Jane said slapping closed the folder in frustration as she sat at her desk.

"They caught the guy who did those 4 murders." Korsak said, "And get this, he's at the same prison with Doyle."

"You think this guy has something to do with Doyle getting beaten?" Jane asked rubbing her tired eyes.

"I don't know, honestly who cares." Korsak said. "Get this though, a year ago this guy; Nino Acerbi had a cellmate, a guy by the name of Ryan Flynn." Korsak said handing Jane the file.

Jane looked it over, "It says Ryan Flynn was released 3 months ago." Jane got up and went to knock on Cavanaugh's office door. He waved her in and she went inside.

"We need to go back to Cedar Junction and talk to an inmate who was arrested for killing Doyle's men in the same manner a few years ago." Jane told Cavanaugh handing him the file. "We'd like to know if this guy Nino, told his cellmate anything before we contact the cellmate." Jane said.

"I'll make the call." Cavanaugh said and Jane took the file and went back out to Korsak and handed him back the file.

"Let me know what Cavanaugh has to say. I'll be back in a bit." Jane said to Korsak as she headed for the elevators.

Jane headed into the morgue and when she didn't see Frankie or Maura in the room she went to Maura's office and walked in. Frankie was flipping through one of Maura's thick anatomy books and Maura was working at her desk.

"Take a break." Jane said to him and he closed the book and stood up.

"Thank god, my eyeballs are killing me." He said as he put Maura's book back onto the shelf.  
"See you later, Maura." He said before leaving the office and going back upstairs.

Jane sat in a chair across from Maura. "Don't take this the wrong way but every time I see you, you look worse than before." Maura said.

"And how am I not supposed to take that wrong?" Jane asked running a hair through her long unruly hair.

"I'm sorry." Maura said stretching her arm across her desk and putting her hand out for Jane to take.

Jane scooted closer and took Maura's hand, "I know we have to talk, you know…" Jane trailed off as she played with Maura's fingers, "But I don't think now is the time." She said her eyes drifting down to look at their hands.

"I understand." Maura said and Jane sat back in her chair releasing Maura's hand.

"Did you identify Doyle's man?" Jane asked getting back to business.

"Yes, his name is Willy Dunne. He had a few arrests but nothing that stuck, according to what Frost told me." Maura said.

"We're going back to Cedars, to question an inmate there; maybe this can all come to an end soon." Jane said sighing.

"Tired of me already?" Maura joked.

"Not in the slightest." Jane answered with a smile.

Angela came bustling into the office without warning and scared the crap out of both women.

"Jesus, Ma." Jane yelped.

"Janie, relax, I'm just bring in a late lunch." Angela said putting a green salad and an iced tea down in front of Maura and chicken sandwich and a soda pop down for Jane.

"Thank you Angela, that's very thoughtful of you." Maura said politely.

"Yeah, thanks Ma." Jane said as she sat forward to inspect her sandwich.

Angela smiled at them, "What would you like for dinner tonight?" She asked.

"Ma, you don't have to keep cooking for us." Jane said then took a bite of her sandwich.

"You don't like my cooking?" Angela asked somewhat hurt.

"No, that's not it at all." Jane said with her mouth full. She chewed and swallowed as quickly as she could. "It's just you know, you cook here all day, you don't have to worry about us."

Angela placed a hand on Jane's cheek, "I'm your mom, and I'll always worry."

"Ok, Ma." Jane said quietly.

"Tommy will be by at 7 with your dinner tonight." Angela said as she headed for the door, she turned to Jane, "You be nice to your brother." And Jane nodded before her mother left them alone.

Maura smiled at Jane getting scolded, "You be quiet and eat your food." Jane said to her.

After their late lunch Korsak called Jane and let her know that Cavanaugh got approval for them to go see Nino Acerbi.

"I better get going." Jane said picking up her trash from their lunch.

Maura got up went around to the other side of her desk and took Jane by the wrist. "I know I don't have to tell you this, but please be careful." She said looking into Jane's eyes.

Jane looked at Maura, she wished she could just go back to their first night together, to forget all this craziness and just be together but she had to catch this guy first, to keep Maura safe.

Jane slid her hand into Maura's and gave it a little squeeze, "I'll be careful." She said.

Maura leaned in and kissed Jane, she couldn't help herself and she really didn't care if anyone saw. She just needed to feel Jane.

"Maura…" Jane said breathless, She leaned her forehead against Maura's. "I have to go." She whispered and let go of Maura's hand and turned and walked away.

When Jane got out of Maura's office, she took a minute to catch her breath before she headed for the elevators.

Korsak drove them towards Cedar Junction, "Jo must get lonely, with you spending all your time with the good doctor." He said as he focused on the road.

"Jo is with Ma and Frankie." Jane said, staring out the side window. She thought a bit about what he might be implying. "Hey, it's not like this is a pleasure cruise or something. I'm just doing my job." She said with a tone.

"Relax will ya?" Korsak said with a small laugh, "I'm trying to say that Dr. Isles is lucky to have you."

Jane squinted her eyes at him and stared, "Yeah, ok." She said and went back to staring at the road.

Finally at the prison they went through the security process again before they were brought to a room where a man, with dark slick backed black hair was sitting shackled at a table in front of them.

Jane sat down in the chair across from him as Korsak stood up looking down at Nino.

"What do you want?" Nino asked gruffly.

"We want to know about your cellmate from a year ago, a guy by the name of Ryan Flynn." Jane told him.

"What about him?" Nino asked his chained hands fidgeting on the table.

"What did you tell him about the killings you're in here for?" Korsak asked.

Nino sat quietly staring at them, "Why should I tell you anything?"

"You don't have to; you can go back to the hole and serve out the 8 days you got. It doesn't matter much to us." Jane said to him.

Nino thought for a minute, he knew the longer he stayed out of the hole the better, even if it meant snitching on someone on the outside.

"I told him everything." Nino said. "He was a weird guy, wanted all the details, didn't want me to leave anything out." Nino said, "Real sick bastard that guy was." He said nodding his head.

"He's the sick one?" Korsak asked, "You're the one that killed 4 people by cutting their hearts out while they were still alive."

"Eh, that was business." Nino said sitting back in his chair, his shackles rattled. "This guy wanted to hear it for pleasure or something."

"This guy, Ryan Flynn, did he mention why he wanted to know?" Jane asked.

"No." Nino said.

"Did he mention if he had a son?" Korsak asked.

"Listen, this wasn't some conversation we had over high-tea one afternoon. He just wanted the details and he didn't mention anything, not even the reason he was in prison." Nino told them.

Korsak asked a few more questions before calling the guard to come get Nino.

"Well that felt like a waste of time." Jane said as they left the prison and she drove them back home.

"I'll have Frost contact Flynn's parole officer to get an address on him." Korsak said dialing Frost's number.

Minutes later Korsak hung up, "Got his address he's pretty close."

"Let's say we pay a visit to Mr. Flynn and find out if he's been hacking people's hearts out and threatening Maura shall we?" Jane said grimly.


	7. Chapter 7

Jane parked out in front of Ryan Flynn's last known address. The house looked run down, it needed a paint job and the lawn was in need of mowing badly.

They got out of the car and walked cautiously to the front door. Korsak had his hand on his gun as Jane knocked on the door and stood off to the side.

They waited and waited but no one came to the door. Korsak looked in one of the front windows; the place was a mess, lived in but a mess, beer cans and empty take-out food containers everywhere.

"You see anything in there giving us probable cause to enter?" Jane asked hoping the guy left out a gun, a knife anything that could get them inside.

"Aside from the guy being a slob, there's nothing." Korsak said as he pulled out his cellphone.

"Who are you calling?" Jane asked as they walked back to the car.

"I'm calling Flynn's parole officer to see if this guy has a job he's at right now." Korsak said.

They sat in the car and Korsak talked to the parole officer then hung up, "Flynn doesn't have a job, last time he checked in was a week ago when it was scheduled."

"That doesn't help us at all." Jane said as she started the car and drove them back to the station.

Jane and Korsak filled Cavanaugh in on the latest events then Jane went to her desk and looked through Ryan's file again before getting fed up.

She sat back in her chair and rubbed her eyes. She'd left word with Flynn's parole officer that if he heard anything to contact her immediately but there'd been no word.

Maura came walking over to her with Frankie in tow. "I'm ready to go home now." She said putting a hand on Jane's shoulder.

Jane got up and put on her jacket. "If you hear anything, call me." Jane said to Korsak who nodded.

"Let's go." She said to Maura and they walked over to the elevator.

Jane did her routine check of the interior of the house before she allowed Maura to come in.

"Your brother is very talkative." Maura said going to the fridge and pulling out a beer for Jane.

"That shouldn't really surprise you, you've met my mother." Jane said taking the beer from her.

"I'm just used to you I suppose." Maura said pouring herself a glass of wine then putting the bottle back in the fridge.

Jane's brow furrowed, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's just you're quiet compared to your brothers, to your mother." Maura said, "Frankie, talked about everything he could think of, asked questions during the autopsy, read through my text books."

"Sounds like he annoyed you more than watched over you." Jane said sitting down on Maura's couch and sipping her beer.

"He was a little distracting when he was in my office, touching my books but I just took a few deep breaths and I was fine." Maura told her as she sat down next to Jane.

Jane laughed, "That's how you deal with a Rizzoli, deep breathing."

The doorbell rang and Jane perked up. "Relax Jane; I doubt the killer would ring the doorbell." Maura told her as she placed a hand on Jane's thigh.

"Janie, your food is getting cold." Tommy called out.

Jane grunted and got up from the couch. She opened the door to see Tommy standing there with two brown bags containing food. "Come in." Jane said letting him walk past her.

Tommy came in and put the bags on the counter, "Hi Maura." He said cheerfully to her.

"Hello, Tommy. Thank you so much for bringing us dinner." Maura said going over to him.

"It's not a problem." He said as he opened his arms to give her a hug.

Jane grabbed him by the back of his shirt collar, "Whoa there cowboy." She pulled him back.

"What? I can't give Maura a hug?" He asked looking at her.

"No, you're here to bring food that's it." She said as she tugged on him and led him back to the front door.

"Bye Maura." He said waving and smiling at her like an idiot.

"Thank you for bring the food." Jane said as she opened the door and pushed him out.

Jane shut and locked the front door then went back into the kitchen and riffled through the bags.

"You know, you don't have to act that way with him when he's around me." Maura pointed out as she went to get plates.

"What way?" Jane asked as she pulled out the baked ziti and green salad from one bag.

"As if maybe you are jealous of Tommy." Maura said handing Jane a serving spoon.

Jane didn't make eye contact with Maura just spooned out the ziti.

Maura put a hand on Jane's to stop her, "There is nothing to be jealous about." Maura said looking at Jane. "Nothing is ever going to happen between me and Tommy and he knows that."

Jane grumbled an okay and Maura waited for Jane to look at her. "Nothing is ever going to happen." Maura said looking into Jane's eyes, "Okay." Jane said with a smile.

They sat down and ate their meal while they watched some news program. Afterwards Jane got up and washed the dishes and put them away.

"I'm going to take a shower in the guest room. If you need me just holler." Jane said to Maura who was sitting on the couch and completely enthralled with some documentary on the History Channel.

Jane grabbed her bag and went upstairs to riffled through her bag and found a pair of black sweat pants and her Boston Red Sox t-shirt.

Jane took a nice hot shower; she got out, toweled off and put on her clothes she came out of the bathroom drying her hair with a towel. "Feel better?" Maura asked from her seat on the bed.

"Jesus Christ!" Jane yelled, "Don't do that, you scared the shit out of me." Jane said clutching at chest.

"I'm sorry." Maura said standing and going over to Jane. She placed a hand over Jane's heart. "Your heart is beating really fast." She said smiling as she looked into Jane's eyes.

Jane wanted to say something like, 'my heart's always like this when you're around' but she didn't want it to sound like some cheesy pick up line she was using on Maura.

"I want to kiss you real bad right now." Jane said in a low voice.

Maura smiled, "I'm not going to stop you."

Jane leaned down and kissed Maura, her lips were so soft; Jane had wanted to do this all day, just forget the troubles, hold Maura and kiss her till she was breathless.

Jane's hands cupped Maura's face as they kissed; Maura's hands went to Jane's waist and pulled her forward to lead her back to the bed.

Maura took her time taking Jane's clothes off, enjoying every inch of exposed skin. Jane on the other hand couldn't strip Maura's clothes off fast enough. She would have popped every button on Maura's blouse with one yank but she knew just how much Maura loved her clothes so with hasty hands Jane undressed Maura and had her on the bed in no time.

To say things were heated between them was an understatement. Hands were everywhere, rubbing, grabbing, stroking, groping and sometimes pulling. Jane's lips roamed over every favorite part of Maura's body, her neck, her collar bone, the curve of her breasts, the spot right above her belly bottom.

Maura not wanting Jane to feel left out managed to get the upper hand and reverse their position, "My turn." She said with a devilish grin as she kissed and touched her way down Jane's slender body.

Maura eventually collapsed onto Jane, worn out complete. Maura nuzzled close to Jane and laid her head on Jane's chest. Jane put an arm around Maura and pulled her in closer.

Jane wanted to stay awake, to be alert but the sound of Maura's breathing and the feel of her warm body against her made Jane's eyes very heavy till she finally fell asleep.

It didn't seem like Jane was a sleep for more than a minute when she woke up with a start.

"What's wrong?" Maura asked squeezing Jane.

Jane looked around the dark guest room, the clock on the night stand said it was only a little past 9 o'clock. "Nothing's wrong." Jane said sitting up. "I just forgot to check the house." She said and slipped out of Maura's arms and started to gather her clothes. Maura propped herself up on an elbow and admired Jane's nakedness as she looked around for her t-shirt.

"Stay here." Jane said to Maura as she headed out the bedroom door.

Jane checked the downstairs, "When did it start raining?" She asked out loud to herself as she went outside. She did a quick check of the property then scurried back in before she was completely soaked.

Jane shook herself off like a dog and laughed to herself as she did it. She made sure the front and back doors were locked then headed back upstairs.

"You know it's raining outside." Jane said as she walked into the guest room. It was empty. Panic rose in Jane as she looked around. "Maura!" She called out.

"Jane, I'm in here." Maura called from down the hall in her room.

Jane stomped down the hall, "Didn't I tell you to stay put?" Jane asked as she went into Maura's room and saw her looking out her bedroom window. She had on her satin robe that was loosely tied in the front.

"I'm sorry I just wanted to sleep in my bed." Maura said looking at Jane, she could tell by the look Jane was giving her that she might have scared Jane and now Jane was a little mad.

"I'm sorry." She said again as she walked over to Jane slowly, "How can I make it up to you?" She asked as she untied the belt on her robe and let the robe slip off her shoulders and fall to the floor.


	8. Chapter 8

Glass breaking woke them both. "Jane?" Maura said as Jane sat up quickly.

"Get up, quietly." Jane said grabbing her gun off the night stand. More glass shattered and Maura went to Jane.

Jane went to Maura's dresser and opened the third drawer and pulled out a small pistol, "Take this." Jane said handing Maura the gun.

"No, Jane I can't do this." Maura said holding the gun awkwardly.

"Listen to me, go into the bathroom, and lock the door." Jane said holding onto Maura's shoulders, "Call Korsak, and then dispatch." She said handing Maura her cell phone. "Do not open the door for anyone. If someone tries to get in without announcing themselves, shoot." Jane said in a hurried tone, her adrenaline kicking in.

"Jane…" Maura tried to say something but Jane pushed her into the bathroom.

"No matter what you hear, do not come out of that bathroom." Jane told her and shut the door.

Jane crept slowly out of the bedroom listening for any sign of the intruder. She hugged the wall going down the stairs. As she stepped into the living room, she looked over towards the front door and was blind-sided, hit from behind, her gun flew across the room. She fell with such force that she hit her face on the carpeted floor and split her bottom lip.

Jane scrambled to get up but a heavy boot kicked her in the side. She rolled onto her back and saw a dark figure in a hoodie standing over her; something glinted in the corner of Jane's eye. 'knife' she thought.

Jane kicked the figure in the shin and the low grunt confirmed that her attacker was male. While he recovered she used that as an opportunity to get to her feet. She turned and looked for her gun but the man came after Jane and grabbed a handful of her hair and threw her back down to the ground.

The man came at her with the knife and Jane kicked him hard in the stomach he fell over onto the floor. Jane tried to quickly crawl to her gun that was on the other side of the couch but the man grabbed Jane by her ankle and dragged her towards him. Jane heel-kicked him dead in the face, he dropped his knife to cover his face and Jane took that opportunity to bolt for her gun but the man recovered and tackled her to the floor.

They struggled, grunting, fighting for dominance, the man rolled Jane over onto her back and straddled her, pinning wrists to the ground with his strong hands. "Where is she?" He yelled in Jane's face.

"Fuck off." Jane yelled at him as she squirmed under him kicking her legs, trying to get some kind of leverage.

He moved Jane's hands so that he held her down with one arm and reached for the knife that was lying just out of reach.

Jane used the shift in body weight to twist her lower body up and throw him over. She kicked at him as he got to his knees, and grabbed his knife. Jane was still sitting on the floor when the man raised the knife over his head, getting ready to plunge it deep into her.

The front door kicked in, startling the both of them, the man paused long enough to look at the front door. Frost burst in and fired two rounds into the man; he fell back dropping the knife beside him.

Frost went to Jane and Korsak rushed in right behind him, he went over to the man and kicked the knife away from him before checking for a pulse. "He's dead." Korsak said.

Frost helped Jane to her feet, "Are you okay?" He asked looking his partner over, knowing by the look of her split bottom lip, ruffled hair and by the way she held her left side that, no she wasn't alright.

"Huh?" Jane asked, as she stared at the man lying on the floor.

"Jane, are you okay?" Korsak asked again.

Uniform police started to file into Maura's house. "Maura." Jane said quietly.

"Where is she Jane?" Korsak asked, "Is she alright?" He called after her as he watched her run up the stairs.

"Maura!" She yelled, "Open the door."

"Who is it?" Maura called out, she was sitting on the toilet with the lid closed, and she pointed the gun at the bathroom door.

"Maura, it's me Jane, open the door." Jane called through the bathroom door.

"Prove it." Maura yelled.

"You drool in your sleep." Jane yelled.

Jane waited for a response.

The door opened slowly, "I most certainly do not drool in my sleep." Maura said smiling but when she saw Jane her smile vanished.

"Oh Jane." Maura said as she cupped Jane's face and looked at her injuries.

"I'm fine" Jane said taking Maura's hands into hers, "Get dressed and come down stairs." Jane told her.

"What happened down there Jane?" Maura asked, looking into Jane's eyes.

"Frost killed the guy." Jane said, "Now please, get dressed."

Jane went back downstairs, she saw the forensic team was already there and the paramedics. She went and sat on one of the stools by the kitchen island.

"Jane, let the EMTs look at you." Korsak said and Jane just stared at him.

Frost bagged the knife and brought it over to her, "Take a look at this." He said handing it to her.

Jane looked the knife over, it was a normal Army issued knife just as they had suspected but if you looked at the steel blade you would noticed that it was engraved.

The words: PFC Derek Murphy U.S. Army was craved into the blade.

"Derek Murphy, that's the name of the first guy Nino killed." Jane said handing the knife back to Frost.

An EMT came over to Jane and shined a light in her eyes, "Did you lose consciousness, Detective?" The EMT asked.

"What?" Jane asked trying to dodged the light that was shining too brightly in her eyes. "No, I didn't lose consciousness."

The EMT examined her lip, "You don't seem to need stitches." Then she grabbed the hem of Jane's shirt, to check her side. Jane swatted at her hands.

"Relax Detective; I just need to check your ribs." She said as she lifted Jane's shirt up, "Small bruising." The EMT muttered, "Does this hurt?" She asked as she pressed on Jane's ribs

Jane jumped and glared at her, "Ow, damn it!"

"It could be just bruised ribs; you should really come with us and get checked out." The EMT said putting Jane's shirt back down.

"Forget it, I'm fine." Jane said waving her off as she stood up and the EMT gathered her bag and left.

Maura came down the stairs, dressed in a pair of pants and a blue blouse. Jane walked over to her. "It's Ryan Flynn." Jane told her. "He has a knife from the first murder victim of Nino Acerbi, Derek Murphy. We don't know the immediate connection but I'm assuming he's Ryan Flynn's son." Jane explained as Maura stood staring at the body on her living room floor.

Maura kicked into Chief Medical Examiner mode. She looked over the body then had her team prep the body for transfer after the forensic team had taken all the pictures and collected any evidence around the body.

Lieutenant Cavanaugh came in the front door and went right over to Jane.

"What happened here Detective?" He asked her with a concerned look.

Jane went into a lengthy explanation about the events that led up to why Ryan Flynn was lying dead in Maura's living room.

"Did the EMT's have a look at you?" Cavanaugh asked but Jane was staring at Maura who was talking to one of her techs.

"Sir?" Jane asked and he repeated the question. "Oh yes, I'm fine." Jane assured him.

"Ok, good work Rizzoli." He said with a slap to Jane's shoulder then he walked over to Frost and Korsak.

Jane stood in the middle of the room watching everyone work and she looked a little lost.

It took hours before the scene was cleared. Korsak went back to the station to dig through the files of Ryan Flynn and Derek Murphy. Frost escorted Jane and Maura to Jane's apartment.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Frost asked Jane as they all got inside her apartment.

"I'm fine, thanks to you partner." Jane said slapping him on the shoulder trying to lighten the mood.

He gave her a look, like he wanted to believe her, but he wasn't sure if she was just trying to be tough or if she was actually okay.

"I'm heading back to the station to look through files with Korsak, you need anything." He said, then looked from Jane to Maura then Jane again, "Either of you, give me a call."

"Thank you Barry." Maura said to him with a nod and smile.

He left and now the two women were alone.

Jane went into her kitchen and grabbed a beer from her fridge, popped the cap off not caring that it fell to the floor and rolled under her fridge. She put the bottle up to the side of her mouth to avoid her split lip and took the longest swig she could before coming up for air.

Maura just watched her.

"What?" Jane asked looking at her.

Maura walked over to Jane, took the beer from Jane's hand and took a long sip of it then handed it back. Jane's eyebrows went up in confusion.

"I guess it's been one of those nights." Maura said as she went back into the living room and sat slumped on the couch.

"Do you want some tea?" Jane asked opening her cupboards to look for that special blend of green tea she bought because she knew just how much Maura liked it. "Maura?" She asked when she didn't respond.

She looked over at the couch and saw that Maura's head was down; at first she thought maybe she'd fallen asleep but then she noticed that Maura's shoulders were slightly shaking. She was crying quietly.

Jane set her beer down on the kitchen counter and went over to the couch and sat down next to Maura, "Hey, what's wrong?" Jane asked lifting Maura's head up gently.

"You could have died you stupid idiot." Maura said sniffling. Jane was shocked at her words.

"Isn't that redundant, Stupid Idiot?" Jane asked, "Because it sounds like something that would fall in the redundancy category." Jane joked.

Maura pulled away slightly, "This isn't funny." She stood up and started to pace in front of the couch.

"You could have died protecting me tonight." Maura said, and then looked down at Jane, "You do that a lot."

"Protect you?" Jane asked.

"No, almost die trying to protecting me." Maura said to Jane as she hugging herself.

"It's not my intention you know." Jane said standing up; she stood in front of Maura to stop her pacing. "All I'm trying to do is protect you."

Maura looked down at the floor, "Why?"

This was it, the moment Jane was fearful of, why, it was a small word with a big meaning for Jane. Why? The answer usually started with 'because' then a trail of words that made up the reasons.

Jane sighed; she took Maura by the hand and led her over to the couch to sit down.

"Guess it's time we talked." Jane said as she held Maura's hands and looked into her eyes.


	9. Chapter 9

Before Jane could even say anything her cellphone rang, "Son of a bitch." She grumbled as she grabbed it off the coffee table.

"Jane, oh thank god you and Maura are okay. I was so worried." Angela's frantic voice came over the phone. "I'm going to have Frankie drive me over."

"No Ma, we're fine." Jane said as she rolled her eyes. Frankie must have told her what happened; nothing could be kept from Angela for too long. "Please, don't come over tonight."

Angela continued to talk on the phone and Jane was getting frustrated by the minute. "Ma, thank you for calling but it's really late and we're really tired." She said as she looked over at Maura.

"Ok Janie." Angela said, "I'll come by later after you've rested." She said and finally hung up.

Maura smiled at Jane, "She just worries about you."

"She always worries about me." Jane said as put her phone back on the coffee table.

Jane looked at Maura and took one of her hands and held it, "I'm not very good at this." Jane said quietly.

Maura gave Jane's hand a squeeze to encourage her to go on.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is…" Jane started to say then her phone buzzed again. She stifled a curse and answered it. "Rizzoli."

"Hey Jane, I just wanted to give you a quick update." Frost said over the phone.

"Let me put you on speaker so Maura can hear." She said and hit the button on her phone.

"So listen to this, Ryan Flynn was Derek Murphy's father but Derek's mother never put Flynn on the birth certificate. Later when Derek was 13 Flynn showed up and tried reconnecting with his son but Derek felt like his father abandoned him." Frost said and Jane could hear him shuffling papers and clicking on his keyboard.

"So Derek kept his distant from his father and then he joined the Army right out of high school and served 2 years before being Dishonorable Discharged." Frost told her.

"Why was he Dishonorable Discharged?" Jane asked.

"He was convicted of killing an innocent villager while stationed overseas; he spent 2 years in jail before he was released." Korsak said as he took over the phone call.

"Murphy claims it was self-defense but there were witnesses that said otherwise." Korsak told her.

"He somehow fell onto hard times and ended up being pulled into Doyle's world by a friend he knew in the Army." Frost said taking his phone back from Korsak. "The guy was actually Flynn's first victim, Cord Sullivan."

"Murphy's dad tried many times to get in contact with his son over the years but his son always refused any contact. Eventually Flynn found Paddy Doyle and threatened him about his son when he found out his son was working for Doyle." Frost said.

"So Nino had no idea who this kid was when he killed him?" Jane asked.

"Murphy was just a pawn to incite a war between the Irish and the Italian mobs." Frost told her.

"So why blame Doyle or Maura for that?" Jane asked.

"Circumstances, is my guess." Frost said, "By working for Doyle, Flynn's son got killed and because Dr. Isles is Paddy Doyle's only living child, maybe he thought it was only fair that he lose his daughter the way he lost his son." Frost tried explaining.

Jane sighed, "We'll never really know the answer."

"Barry, how did you find out about the trouble the father and son were having?" Maura asked.

"Well it turns out that Flynn has a half-sister in New York. I managed to track her down and call her, I asked about her brother and nephew and she told me the story." Frost said.

"She's flying down in a few days to get her brother's body released for burial." Frost told her.

"Is that all?" Jane said kind of abruptly and Maura gave her a look.

"Uh yeah for now, yeah that's all." Frost said.

"Thanks Frost." Jane said, "I'll talk to you tomorrow." They hung up and Jane turned her phone off and tossed it on the coffee table.

She took in a deep breath then turned on the couch so she was facing Maura. "Let's try this again, shall we?" Jane said with a smile as she took Maura's hand in hers again.

"You asked why I protect you." Jane said looking at their hands. "It's a whole bunch of reasons I guess."

"Such as?" Maura asked hoping Jane would look at her.

Jane shrugged, "I know we flirt a lot, I know we make jokes about each other." Jane said to her, "And I thought, Well that's what best friends do, they flirt , they joke, the sleep in each other's beds' but things shifted between us, I mean at least for me they did, it became…" Jane trailed off.

"It became what?" Maura asked.

"It became something more." Jane said, "I just want you to know that, it's not because I've been watching over you these last few days either." She said. "I mean yeah, it brought out something in me, but it was something that was already there. Something I've wanted for a while." Jane looked down at their hands again to hide the blush that crept up her face.

Maura put a hand to Jane's cheek, "Why didn't you just say something?"

"Aw come on Maura, I'm not good with the emotional stuff, you know that." Jane said looking at her.

"You're good at expressing your emotions in a sexual way." Maura said to her smiling.

Jane snorted a bit, "Yeah well if you haven't figure it out yet, I'm more of a 'take action' kind of person."

They sat for a minute staring at each other and Jane shifted closer to Maura, "I'm not sure where this is going to lead." Jane said to her.

"This what?" Maura asked.

"This," Jane said motioning a hand between them, "This thing we have going on."

"What is it you think we have going on?" Maura asked.

Jane sighed, she knew Maura wasn't this dense, she knew that Maura just wanted her to say the words but what if she did; what if she finally told Maura how she feels and Maura didn't feel the same way. Jane knew she was being ridiculous because on some level Maura had to feel the same way unless she just liked having casual sex with her best friend when danger loomed.

"Jane, just say what it is you want to say." Maura said searching her eyes, hoping the answer would be there, but Jane looked away.

"I can't do it." Jane said embarrassed. She got up from the couch and paced, needing a bit of distance between the two of them.

"I just fought a man trying to kill me to get to you and yet, I can't just tell you how I feel." Jane said mumbling to herself. "Why?" Jane said looking helplessly at Maura.

"Jane, come and sit back down." Maura said to her putting a hand out to her. Jane took it and sighed heavily as she sat back down on the couch with Maura.

"Close your eyes." Maura told her and Jane gave her a funny look.

Maura reached out and covered Jane's eyes with her hand "Close them." She commanded.

"Ok, they're closed." Jane said feeling ridiculous.

Maura removed her hand and saw that Jane's eyes were indeed closed.

"In your mind, what do you see?" Maura asked.

"You." Jane said and a small smile crept across Jane's face, "I see you."

Maura smiled too, "What does that mean to you?"

With her eyes still closed Jane said, "It means I can't stop thinking about you, I close my eyes and there you are, in my thoughts all the time. I want you, I want to hold you, kiss you, and keep you safe."

Jane slowly opened her eyes, she looked deeply into Maura's eyes, and "It means that I love you."

Maura was almost shocked to hear Jane say the words. She knew the feelings were there but to actually hear Jane say the words, yes it was quite a surprise. Maura looked down at their hands; she played with Jane's fingers.

"Ok, well I guess by your silence," Jane said her feelings hurt, she stood up, "You apparently don't feel the same way."

"Stop." Maura said grabbing Jane by the wrist and pulling her back onto the couch in front of her. Maura searched Jane's eyes, "Jane, I never expected you to say you loved me."

"Well what did you expect?" Jane asked, "Because honestly I don't just run around risking my life for everybody I know Maura. You had to know on some level. I mean, seriously, I don't act this stupid for just anybody."

Maura laughed a little. Jane looked away, she didn't know if Maura was laughing at her or what but it was frustrating her.

Maura scooted closer to Jane and cupped her face gently; she looked from Jane's lips, to her eyes, she softly brushed a strand of Jane's wild hair from her face. "Jane." She said quietly and Jane looked Maura in the eyes, "I love you too."

Jane smiled at her, a good as she could with her busted lip. "You do?"

It was Maura's turn to blush, "Yes, I do."

Jane smiled again, "Kiss me."

Maura leaned in to give Jane a kiss, but Jane leaned back a little, and Maura looked confused, "Slowly." Jane said.

Maura smiled and did just that, she kissed Jane slowly, and for the first time since all this started she felt completely safe.

Maura pulled away first, "You should really let me check on your injuries." Maura said to her.

"I'm sorry did I miss something?" Jane asked, looking confused, "We just confessed our love for one another and you want to check my injuries?"

"Yes." Maura said standing up, "I think the lighting in your bedroom is perfect." Maura said as she turned on her heels and headed towards Jane's bedroom.

Jane sat on the couch with a 'Huh?' look on her face till it dawned on her; Maura looked back at Jane, "Oh there it is." Maura said when she realized Jane finally got her meaning.

Jane went into her bedroom to see Maura standing by the bed. "Take your shirt off."

"I don't know, I think might need a little help." Jane said and Maura went over to her.

She grabbed the hem of Jane's Boston Red Sox t-shirt and gently pulled it up and over Jane's head. Maura admired Jane's body, aside from the bruise that was forming on her left side, she was perfect.

Maura turned Jane to the side, moved Jane's left arm out of the way and ran a hand along Jane's ribs. It sent a shiver through Jane and she closed her eyes.

Maura took a step and was now standing directly behind Jane. She started at Jane's shoulders and ran her hands down and all over Jane's back. "Any pain?" Maura asked pressing up against Jane's back to whisper in her ear.

Jane sighed, "Just a little sore."

Maura took Jane by the hand and led her over to the bed. "Sit down please." Maura said and Jane sat down at the end of the bed. Maura took Jane's face in her hands and tilted her head back just a little. She leaned in real close and looked at Jane's bottom lip before she gave Jane the smallest kiss. "Any pain there?" Maura asked.

Jane's eyes were closed, her head tilted back, she smiled, "Mmm, no."

When Jane opened her eyes she saw that Maura hand quickly removed her shirt and pants and was standing in front of her in nothing but her bra and panties.

Jane stood up and quickly kicked her shoes off and stripped off her pants.

"Lay down on the bed." Maura said to Jane, "Face down please."

Jane tilted her head, "Face down?"

"Just do it." Maura told her and Jane complied.

Jane could feel Maura getting on the bed but didn't know what was going on till she felt Maura straddle her and sit on her butt. Jane twisted her head to see Maura sitting on her. "Just relax. It's ok, I promise." Maura told her and Jane put her head down.

Jane knew she probably shouldn't have been surprised at how powerful and strong Maura's hands were as she massaged Jane's shoulders but she had this wonderful feeling of 'that hurts but feels so good' buzzing through her body as Maura continued to touch and massage all the way down her back.

What started off as a slow sensual massage turned into something more. It was careful and slow, to avoid aggravating Jane's injuries but it was definitely more and something they both wanted.

Later as they were lying in Jane's bed naked and snuggled up together Jane looked at Maura, "Maybe next time you'll listen to me when I tell you you're not safe and that you need to be careful." Jane said as she wrapped an arm around Maura.

"As long as you're still around to watch over me, I don't think I will." Maura laughed as she gave Jane a gentle squeeze.

A week later, the case with Ryan Flynn was completely wrapped up and everything was back to normal, as normal as anything can be working at the Boston Police Department.

Jane and Maura were still getting used to the shift in their relationship; others seemed to accept it a lot quicker.

"What is this?" Jane asked as she saw a gift bag sitting on her desk.

"Oh it's just a little something from me and Frost." Korsak said sitting at his desk finishing up paper work. "You know a 'job well done on keeping Dr. Isles safe' kind of thing."

Jane looked over at her partner, "Go ahead and open it." Frost told her.

Jane reached into the bag and pulled out a grey t-shirt, on the front in black letters it read: Property of the BPD Chief Medical Examiner.

Jane flipped the shirt to look at the back then flipped it back to the front, "I think you guys missed a word." Jane said showing them the shirt.

They smiled at her, "No we didn't." Korsak said with a laugh.

"Uh thanks guys." Jane said putting the shirt back into the bag.

"Are you ready to go?" Maura said walking up next to her.

"Sure." Jane said grabbing the gift bag off her desk. "See you guys tomorrow." Jane said to Korsak and Frost before Jane and Maura headed for the elevators.

Jane and Maura went back to Maura's house. Jane put her bag down on the kitchen counter and went to grab a beer. "Would you like some wine?" Jane asked Maura.

"Yes, that sounds good." Maura said, "I'm going to go upstairs and change."

Jane poured Maura a glass of red wine, put the rest of the bottle back in the fridge then popped the cap off her beer. She carried both drinks out into the living room.

Jane put Maura's wine down on the coffee table then flopped herself down on the couch with her beer.

Maura came back downstairs and sat down next to Jane. She leaned forward to get her wine. "What are you wearing?" Jane asked Maura looking at the gray t-shirt and yoga pants she changed into.

"Oh the shirt was a gift." Maura said to Jane as she took a sip of wine.

"Let me see." Jane said to her putting her beer down on the coffee table. Maura stood up in front of Jane and proudly displayed her t-shirt. On the front, much like the shirt she received from Korsak and Frost in black letters it read: Property of the Boston Police Department, then in smaller letters under that it read, Detective Jane Rizzoli Division.

Jane laughed, "Let me guess, you got this from Korsak and Frost."

"Yes, they gave it to me yesterday." Maura said then tilted her head, "What's so funny? And how did you know they gave it to me?"

Jane got up from the couch and went back to the kitchen and pulled out the shirt from her bag. She held it up in front of her. "Because they gave this one to me."

She could see Maura reading it, and then Maura smiled when she got the little joke.

"Will you put it on?" Maura asked and without hesitation Jane took of her jacket and unbuttoned her shirt and took it off.

She put the shirt Korsak and Frost gave her on and smoothed it out, "How's that?" Jane asked.

"Perfect." Maura said then sat back down on the couch and beckoned for Jane who came and sat down with her. Maura put her head on Jane's shoulder, and cuddled into her "Just perfect." She whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took a really long time trying to figure out an ending to this story that I could be happy with. I agonized over it, changed it, rewrote it, added more to it but it still felt a little too clipped. Something clicked in my brain and I started to write a different ending. So if you like this ending, then by all means you can stop right here and not read the 10th chapter. But if you want to consider the 10th chapter an alternate ending them go ahead and read it.
> 
> Side note: For those wondering, Office is the word Jane thinks they left off of her t-shirt.


	10. Chapter 10

Jane woke lifting her head to look around; she'd almost forgotten where she was till she saw Maura lying motionless in bed. A heart monitor beeped a steady rhythm.

Some of what happened that night started to come back to her. She remembered hearing the glass breaking, giving Maura the gun and telling her to go in the bathroom and to stay there. She told Maura to call Korsak and dispatch and to not come out of the bathroom for anything.

Jane had made her way downstairs; she'd fought with her attacker. Then the memories got fuzzy. She couldn't remember if she'd actually put up a fight and then Frost came in and shot Ryan Flynn or if that was just a part of what she'd made up in a dream to cope with the fact that ultimately she'd failed Maura.

Jane was left unconscious on the first floor of Maura's apartment. So everything after that she has no memory of. Everything that she knows now was told to her by Frost or Korsak.

Korsak and Frost had busted into Maura's apartment shortly after Jane has lost consciousness, Korsak went to check on Jane. Frost heard screams from upstairs and he ran upstairs.

Ryan Flynn had kicked in the bathroom door and even though Maura fired the gun it went wide missing him completely. He grabbed Maura by the hair and slammed her head into the tile of the bathroom wall. She slid slowly to the ground, with blurry eyes she looked at her attacker.

He kicked her hard across her jaw and that laid her flat on her back and she was out cold. He stood over her, head cocked to the side looking at her unconscious body. He knelt down beside her and raised his knife up.

Two shots rang out, the acoustics of the bathroom made it sound like bombs going off in Flynn's ears; he fell forward onto Maura and let out one last breath.

Korsak came up behind Frost who was stunned at what he'd done. "Easy there son." Korsak said to him as he put a hand on Frost firing hand and lowered it.

Korsak and Frost went into the bathroom they moved Flynn off Maura. Korsak checked Maura for a pulse, thankfully she still had one. Flynn on the other hand was gone.

Korsak went back downstairs just as backup and the EMTs arrived, they scooped up Jane and put her in an ambulance. Korsak told the other team about Maura and they went upstairs to get her and they then took Maura off in a different ambulance.

Jane has woken up in a darkened hospital room, an IV and heart monitor hooked to her. "Maura!" Jane yelled at the top of her lungs. Her head throbbed a little.

Someone was at her side and Jane was fighting whoever was trying to put their hands on her.  
"Janie, calm down please, it's me." Angela said trying to grab onto Jane's arms.

Jane stopped, and blinked, "Ma?" she said quietly.

"Yes, Jane, it's me." Angela said holding Jane gently by the wrists.

"What happened? Where am I?" Jane asked frantic.

"You're in the hospital." Angela said and that triggered something in Jane.

'Where's Maura?' Jane thought, "Maura!" She called out as she pulled the IV from her arm, and tried to get out of bed. She ripped the cords of the heart monitor off her chest and slid out of bed. She moved too quickly and a wave of dizziness hit her and she started to fall. Korsak came in the room just in time to catch Jane before she hit the floor.

"Easy Jane." Korsak said as he lifted her and steadier her on her feet before he directed her back to her bed and sat her down.

"Korsak." Jane said clutching at the lapels of his jacket.

"Where's Maura?" Jane asked. "Please tell me she's okay." She pleaded.

"Jane, she's here, in the hospital." Korsak said to her.

Jane's eyes darted back and forth, "What?" She asked so confused, "That can't be."

Jane searched her mind, "She was fine, and I protected her. She was fine." Jane mumbled as tears streamed down her face.

"Jane, Flynn attacked you and knocked you out, and then Flynn went after Maura and attacked her. She has a head trauma and she's been unconscious for two days." Korsak said.

"Two days?" Jane asked confused rubbing her forehead, "What are you talking about?"

"Jane, you've been in and out of it for two days." Angela told her as she stepped over to Jane's side.

"No, this is all wrong." Jane said shaking her head. "Maura, I saved her. Frost killed Flynn before he could get to Maura. Everything was fine, it was over. We were…." Jane said putting a hand to her head as she trailed off.

"You were what sweetie?" Angela asked Jane as she put a hand on Jane's shoulder.

"We were happy." Jane said looking at her mother, tears in her eyes, "We were finally together and happy."

"Oh Janie." Angela sighed leaning in to give Jane a hug but Jane stopped her, "No please." Jane begged.

"I have to see her." Jane said looking at Korsak for help.

"Come on then." He said putting an arm around Jane's waist as she put an arm around his shoulders.

He started to walk her down the hall slowly before a nurse stopped them. "Sir, if she is to be moved around it needs to be in a wheelchair." The nurse said as she pushed a wheelchair to Korsak.

Jane sat down and Korsak took her to the elevators where they rode up two flights and got off. Korsak took Jane down the hall and stopped at Maura's room.

Korsak pushed Jane in and over to Maura's bed. "I'll be just in the hall if you need me." Korsak told Jane then left and shut the door behind him.

Jane took Maura's hand in hers, she looked at Maura's bruised jawline, looked at the bandage on the side of Maura's head. She watched Maura's chest rise and fall just to make sure she was still breathing.

"I'm sorry Maura." Jane said quietly to her. Jane leaned forward, putting her forehead down on the back on Maura's hand that rested on the bed. "I'm so sorry."

A while later, Korsak opened the door to check on Jane and seen she'd fallen asleep hunched over, her head on Maura's bed. So he closed the door and left her there for a while longer.

Jane had been woken up by the beeping of Maura's heart monitor.

She stood up slowly, leaned in over Maura and whisper in her ear, "Stay with me, Maura." She closed her eyes, "Stay with me, don't leave me alone." She kissed Maura softly on the lips then sat back down in her wheelchair and took Maura's hand again.

Jane pressed the back of Maura's hand to her cheek and closed her eyes. 'Please' she thought, 'Please'

"Jane." It was just a breathless whisper but Jane's eyes shot open.

She stared at Maura's lips, "Maura?"

Did she just imagine Maura saying her name?

"Maura?" Jane asked again, she continued to stare at Maura, hoping her eyes would open. She gave Maura's hand a squeeze. "I'm here, Maura, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere." Jane told her.

Jane closed her eyes again, "I'm here." She whispered quietly.

"I had the weirdest dream."

Jane opened her eyes and Maura's eyes were half open. Jane didn't know what to do at first. "Maura, is that you?"

"Who else would it be stupid?" Maura said with a wry smile.

"Oh god," Jane said and practically threw her whole body on Maura as she hugged her and kissed her.

"Easy Jo." Maura said and Jane stopped hugging and kissing her and looked at Maura confused.

"Maura, it's me Jane." She said wondering if Maura head trauma was worse off than she thought.

Maura smiled again at Jane, "Joke."

Jane hit the nurses call button. "This isn't funny." Jane said to Maura. "You scared the living shit out of me."

Maura lifted her hand and placed it on Jane's chest over her heart. She felt just how quickly Jane's heart was thumping. Maura closed her eyes. "Please don't close your eyes again." Jane said to her and Maura opened them again.

The nurse came in, "Oh it's nice to see you awake." She said to Maura as she came over to the bed. She gave Maura a quick once over then wrote something on Maura's chart, "I'll page your doctor." Then she left.

Jane took Maura's hand off her chest and held it tightly. "Do you remember what happened?" Jane asked.

"Don't you want to know about my dream?" Maura asked.

Jane sighed, "Sure, let's hear about your dream."

"I had this amazing dream that after you saved me." Maura paused a bit, "We went back to your place and you told me you loved me." Maura laughed a little, "You were so awkward and embarrassed."

Jane stared at Maura, "Are you pulling my leg?" Jane asked thinking how impossible it was to have had the same dream as Maura.

"No, are you having a muscle spasm?" Maura asked and Jane wanted to laugh but couldn't manage to.

"It's an expression Maura." Jane said.

"Do you want to know if I said it back?" Maura asked looking at Jane and Jane nodded her head yes.

"Come here and I'll tell you." Maura said grabbing the front of Jane's hospital gowned and pulling her closer.

Jane leaned in forward waiting to hear Maura's answer, instead of saying anything Maura leaned up and kissed Jane on the lips, Jane had to brace herself with an arm on the bed to keep from collapsing to the floor.

Maura released the hold she had on Jane's gown and then drew back and smiled at Jane. "Of course I said it back, Jane."

Jane sat down in her wheelchair and Maura took Jane's hand. "Maura, there's so much I need to say." Jane started to say but the door to Maura's room opened and the doctor, two nurses and Maura's mother came in.

Jane was pushed out of the room by one of the nurses. "Jane, what's going on?" Korsak asked as the nurse handed over control of the wheelchair to him.

"Maura woke up." Jane said staring at Maura's closed hospital room door.

"Let's get you back to your room." Korsak said pushing Jane to the elevators.

Once Jane was back in her room and back in bed the doctor came in and examined her. He asked her a lot of questions that Jane started to get irritated. "You're very lucky." The doctor said making notations in Jane's file.

Jane didn't feel very lucky but she smiled and thanked the doctor anyways. Angela came in the room after the doctor left. "How is Maura?" Angela asked.

"Where are Frost and Frankie?" Jane asked ignoring her mother's question.

"Your brother is working with Barry to finish up the investigation. Both of them were here in the last two days to check up on you." Angela explained as she sat by Jane's bedside.

Jane rubbed her eyes, she felt more confused than ever. "Ma, I'm tired, I think I just want to sleep." Jane said to her mother.

"Ok, Jane, you rest. I'll be back later." Angela said to Jane giving her a pat on the arm. She grabbed her purse then left.

As soon as the door closed on Jane's room, Jane shifted to her side, curled up in a ball and cried till she fell asleep.

When Jane woke up some time later, she saw someone standing by the window in her room. "Ma, is that you?" Jane called out.

"No, it's Constance." She said and turned around. Jane sat up more in her bed.

"What are you doing here?" Jane asked, "Is Maura okay?"

Constance came over to Jane's bed side and sat down. "Maura is just fine, thanks to you."

Jane didn't know if she was being sarcastic or not so she asked, "Thanks to me?"

"Jane, despite what you may think, or believe, you saved my daughter's life." Constance told her and Jane scoffed.

"You fought off a man who was twice your size and strength till more help could come." Constance told Jane, "You kept him away from Maura so that he couldn't hurt her more than he did."

Jane said quietly, her hands folded in her lap, "Is she going to be okay?" Jane asked.

"She's fine, the doctors want to keep her one more night but she's is perfectly fine." Constance said and Constance could see that Jane didn't believe her.

"When we first met, you told me you were protective." Constance said to Jane, "I didn't realize just how protective of my daughter you were."

"Well I love her." Jane said before she realized what she was saying, "I mean, you know Maura means a lot to me, she's my best friend."

Constance smiled; she knew exactly what Jane meant but now was not the time to call her on it.

"Maura is very lucky to have you." Constance said to Jane. "Thanks." Jane responded back.

"Well, I have some things to take care of." Constance said standing up. "Maura was asking for you, so when you feel up to it, she'll be waiting." She said just before she slipped out the door.

Jane hit her call button and waited for the nurse to come in. "Hello, Ms. Rizzoli, what can I do for you?" A chubby dark haired woman asked as she came into Jane's room.

"I was wondering if I could go visit another patient." Jane said as she sat up on the side of her bed.

The nurse went over to Jane, "Are you feeling dizzy?" She asked.

"No." Jane told her.

The nurse looked her over, asked a few questions then wrote some things down in Jane's chart

"You seem to be okay on your own." The nurse said to her, "Just don't stay gone too long. I believe your doctor will be in later to release you."

"Oh Ok." Jane said as she watched the nurse leave. Jane fixed her gown in the back so she wouldn't moon everyone before she set off to Maura's room.

She got out of the elevator on Maura's floor and went to Maura's room. She paused outside the door, took in a deep breath and let it out before pushing the door open and going inside.

She pushed the privacy curtain back a little and saw Maura was sitting in bed staring out the window.

"Hey." Jane said and Maura looked over at her and smiled. Jane went over to the side of the bed, dragged a chair over and sat down.

"I was just thinking about you." Maura said to her.

"Good thoughts I hope." Jane said taking Maura's hand in hers and Maura smiled at her.

"Jane, the dream I had of you, of us together, it felt so real." Maura said to her.

"Do you think it's possible that two people can meet up in a dream?" Jane asked. "Because I swear Maura we could have had the same dream."

"I don't really know." Maura said as she thought about it for a minute then she looked at Jane, "Will you kiss me?" Maura asked abruptly, "I just need to know you're really here."

Jane leaned in and kissed Maura softly on the lips. "I'm really here." Jane said as she pulled back. Jane sat back down in her chair.

Jane let out a heavy sigh, "Maura, I'm so sorry." Jane said looking at her. "You have to know…."

"Stop it; you have nothing to apologize for." Maura told her putting a hand to Jane's cheek. "You saved me."

"Frost saved you. I got the shit kicked out of me." Jane said looking down and away.

"You saved me; you stopped him from getting to me sooner." Maura told her. "Please look at me." Maura said and Jane looked up. "When he came after me, all I could think about was you."

"I thought he must have killed you because that would have been the only way he could have gotten past you to get to me." Maura said tears formed in her eyes.

"Maura, come on." Jane said not wanting to see Maura cry.

"I thought, 'this is it, I'm going to die and Jane will never really know how I feel about her.'" Maura told her.

"We don't have to do this now, Maura. You should just rest." Jane said feeling uncomfortable.

"I don't want to wait any longer, Jane." Maura said, "I'm so tired of waiting." She said sitting up in her bed. She took Jane's hands in hers, "I love you Jane." She looked at Jane for any response, "If you don't feel the same way then that's fine but I needed you to know how I feel."

Jane got up from her chair; she sat sideways on the edge of Maura's bed facing her, "How could you think that I wouldn't feel the same way?" Jane asked a little hurt and Maura shrugged.

"I love you Maura, I have for the longest time." Jane told her, "I just couldn't figure out how to tell you."

"That's right you're more of a 'take action' kind of person." Maura joked and Jane leaned in, inches from Maura's lips, "Damn straight." Jane said then kissed her desperately. Maura put a hand to Jane's chest and pushed her back a little.

"We better stop before the nurse comes in to check my heart monitor." Maura told her and Jane chuckled.

The door to Maura's room opened. "Jane, are you in here?" Angela asked behind the drawn curtain.

"Yes, Ma, I'm in here." Jane called to her.

"Are you two decent?" Angela asked.

Jane flung the privacy curtain back, "Ma!" she whined.

"I'm just asking." Angela said with a smile on her face and Maura chuckled.

"How are you Maura?" Angela asked pushing passed Jane to take the seat by Maura's bed.

"I'm fine, Angela thank you." Maura said to her.

"Jane, your doctor is looking for you; he has papers for you to sign for your release." Angela told her.

"Angela, I think when Jane gets released it would probably be a good idea if she stay at my place." Maura said, "Just so you can keep an eye on her so she's not alone."

Jane was going to protest but something in Maura's eyes told her not to.

"That will be fine." Angela said, "Come on Jane; let's go find your doctor." Angela said standing up.

"I'll meet you in my room; I'll only be a minute." Jane told her mother and Angela left.

"I just want you there when I come home." Maura said before Jane could ask why.

Jane smiled and gave Maura a kiss before she left.

Jane signed her release papers and got dressed in the clothes her mother brought for her from home. She went back to Maura's room and said goodbye before she left with her mother to go to Maura's.

"Constance is staying in the guest room upstairs." Angela said to Jane as they went inside.

"I'll just stay on the couch, it's not a problem." Jane said to her mother.

"Nonsense, I'm sure Maura wouldn't mind if you stayed in her room." Constance said as she came downstairs.

"Uh ok." Jane said feeling a bit awkward.

Jane went upstairs and into Maura's room. She went and lay down on Maura's still made bed. She could smell Maura's perfume and before she knew it Jane fell asleep.

Jane didn't wake up till after dinner, when she came downstairs Angela was sitting in the living room watching the TV with the volume on low. "There's a plate for you on the counter." Angela said as she saw Jane.

Jane went into the kitchen and grabbed the plate and silverware and took it out into the living room and sat on the couch next to her mother and ate her food.

"I know that these last few days have been hell for you Jane, but as your mother you have to know that it's been hell for me too." Angela said to Jane.

"I know, Ma." Jane said putting her fork down.

"I know you love Maura and you'll do anything for her. You've risked your life to protect her a few times now and I know you'll continue to do that." Angela said, "But you have to understand, there are other people who love you and would very much like you to stick around."

Jane leaned over and kissed her mom on the cheek, "I know, Ma."

"Good girl." Angela said and patting Jane's cheek.

The next morning Jane was up early, she'd made coffee and waited for Constance to get up and go get Maura from the hospital.

Constance came downstairs and Jane offered her some coffee. "No thank you. I'm sure Maura is anxious to come home." She said and grabbed her purse then left for the hospital.

An hour later Constance and Maura came through the front door. "Mother I am perfectly capable of walking on my own accord." Maura complained as Constance released the hold on her daughter's arm but kept close to her.

"Welcome home." Jane said to Maura with a smile when they came into the living room. Maura smiled back at her.

Maura noticed a suitcase sitting by the couch, "Mother, are you going somewhere?"

"Yes, darling, I'm going back to London." Constance said and Maura frowned. "I'm sure between Angela and Jane, you'll be well looked after."

"She will be." Jane assured Constance.

Constance gave Maura a hug, and then drew back, "I'll come back soon, you don't have to worry." She said to Maura and Maura nodded her head. A car honked outside and Constance grabbed her suitcase.

"Goodbye." Constance said to Angela and Jane before she left.

"Maura would you like something to eat?" Angela asked.

"No thank you. I think I would just like to sit down for a bit." Maura said and sat down by Jane on the couch.

"I have to go to work so I'll see you two later." Angela said to them as she left out the side door to go back to her guest house.

Jane put an arm around Maura and they just sat quietly on the couch for a minute. Maura turned her head and kissed Jane on the jaw. "Thanks for being here when I got home."

"Nowhere else I'd rather be." Jane said to her.

Maura shifted a little so she was looking at Jane, she took Jane's face in her hands, "That first night, when I asked you to stay, when I said I didn't want to be alone." Maura said hoping Jane would remember. "I meant it, I wanted you to stay, I want you to stay now. I want you to be with me."

"Maura, I love you. I'm not going anywhere. I told you that." Jane told her.

"I love you too Jane, but I almost lost you." Maura said to her, "I can't lose you now that I have you."

Jane took Maura's hands from her face and held them tight, "Listen to me when I say this. I've wanted you for so long, I have no intention of going anywhere." Jane said looking into Maura's eyes to make sure that her declaration was understood.

"Now, that we've got that all settled there's only one thing left to do." Jane said to her.

Maura tilted her head a bit and with a smile asked, "What's that?"

"Kiss me, Maura." Jane said to her, "slowly."


End file.
